MABUHAY
HO CHI MINH City, also popularly known by its former name SAIGON, is a bustling metropolis. It was named after Vietnam's revolutionary leader HO CHI MINH. This is a photo and video journal of our budget travel to this magnificent city from our departure from NAIA Terminal 3 in Manila and arrival at TAN SO NHAT International Airport.
DEPARTURE FROM NAIA TERMINAL 3 MANILA
Planning for budget travel must start at least 6 months before your preferred travel date. Booking a flight 6 months ahead of your travel schedule will likely save you around 40% - 60% of the regular ticket price. Cheap promo tickets are usually scheduled from about 11pm till 2am. So our flight, which is a promo one, is scheduled to depart at 11:23pm Philippine local time.
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| Selfie in NAIA terminal 3 Airport |
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| Souvenir photo at NAIA Terminal 3 |
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| Souvenir photo at NAIA Terminal 3 |
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| Aboard AirAsia |
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| Our boarding pass |
ARRIVAL AT TAN SO NHAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, HO CHI MINH CITY
Tan So Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a medium-sized airport comparable with our Cebu Mactan International Airport. The influx of tourists in this city during the summer season is not that much most probably due to the hot weather. Tourists prefer to travel to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam due to its mild weather condition.
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| Our safe landing at 2:49am |
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| The arrival hall |
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| Don't forget to bring empty plastic bottles and refill them at drinking fountains. This will save you a lot of money in buying bottled drinking water. |
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| Part of the airport's arrival hall |
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| Going to the immigration gate |
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| We saw a handful of tourists at the immigration |
Check out these budget-friendly routes in Vietnam
VIETNAMESE DONG
Dong is the official currency of Vietnam. There are two foreign currency exchange shops open at the airport at that time. 1 Philippine peso is equivalent to around 420 Vietnamese Dong. But the selling rate is only 350 Dong for 1 Php. So our P10,000 pesos are equal to 3.5 Million Dong. I smiled and told my wife, we are "Millionaires"
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Dong is the official currency of Vietnam. There are two foreign currency exchange shops open at the airport at that time. 1 Philippine peso is equivalent to around 420 Vietnamese Dong. But the selling rate is only 350 Dong for 1 Php. So our P10,000 pesos are equal to 3.5 Million Dong. I smiled and told my wife, we are "Millionaires"
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| Foreign currency exchange shops at the airport |
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| Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's revolutionary hero is on the front page of the 500,000 Dong |
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| The image at the back |
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| Different paper bills from Vietnam Dong |
TRAVELING AS IT IS! ARRIVAL IN TAN SO NHAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, HO CHI MINH CITY - video footage
CHECK-IN TO OUR HOSTEL
Our nice and very clean hostel accommodation was booked at Airbnb for 3 days and 2 nights. The place is near the airport and the city center where most of the tourist travel interests are located. Remember always to save the exact address of your accommodation because most taxi drivers now use Google Maps. I used the rome2rio app to give me the shortest route and an estimate of all the transportation fare prices available from your pick-up point to your destination. When we exited the airport around 3am, the airport taxi priced us at US$ 10 (228,000 Dong). Then we looked for an ordinary taxi and we agreed on US$ 6 (150,000 Dong) giving us a US$ 4 discount. Communication in English in Vietnam is a struggle. So download GOOGLE TRANSLATE apps on your smartphone. You can still use the Vietnamese-to-English translation offline.
CHECK-IN TO OUR HOSTEL
Our nice and very clean hostel accommodation was booked at Airbnb for 3 days and 2 nights. The place is near the airport and the city center where most of the tourist travel interests are located. Remember always to save the exact address of your accommodation because most taxi drivers now use Google Maps. I used the rome2rio app to give me the shortest route and an estimate of all the transportation fare prices available from your pick-up point to your destination. When we exited the airport around 3am, the airport taxi priced us at US$ 10 (228,000 Dong). Then we looked for an ordinary taxi and we agreed on US$ 6 (150,000 Dong) giving us a US$ 4 discount. Communication in English in Vietnam is a struggle. So download GOOGLE TRANSLATE apps on your smartphone. You can still use the Vietnamese-to-English translation offline.
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| Our hostel at 44/A Phan Dinh Phung Street |
Mr. Hoang, the owner of the place waited for our arrival from the airport and reach his hostel at 3am. We enjoyed their family's company during our stay there.
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MARCH 23
PHAN DINH PHUNG STREET
Phan Dinh Phung Street is a very busy street near our accommodation with lots of noisy motorbikes going back and forth from the city center. Motorbike taxi is the most common public transportation in Ho Chi Minh City. There is one waiting for the passenger on every street corner. The public bus has routes here also going to the city center and other bus stops.
BREAKFAST AT CO PHU NHUAN MARKET
This is the nearest wet and dry market to our accommodation.
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VISIT SAIGON'S NOTRE DAME DAME CATHEDRAL
Notre Dame Cathedral is gothic in form and constructed primarily of red clay bricks. It was established by French colonists who initially named it Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saïgon, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).
TRAVELING AS IT IS! BUDGET TRAVEL TO HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM: VISIT TO NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
DISCOVER SAIGON CENTRAL POST OFFICE
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| The queen size bed in our accommodation |
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| with closet, ref, and tv |
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| The bathroom |
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| Part of the bedroom |
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| Cool wall clock. Vietnam time is a 1-hour delay from Philippine Time |
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| This poster will remind you that you are already 4th Floor |
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| View from the roof deck |
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| View from the other side of the roof deck |
MARCH 23
PHAN DINH PHUNG STREET
Phan Dinh Phung Street is a very busy street near our accommodation with lots of noisy motorbikes going back and forth from the city center. Motorbike taxi is the most common public transportation in Ho Chi Minh City. There is one waiting for the passenger on every street corner. The public bus has routes here also going to the city center and other bus stops.
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| Phan Dinh Phung street is filled with motorbikes taxi |
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| The public bus going to the city center also passes this street |
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| Motorbikes dominate this street |
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| Welcome banner of a local village |
This is the nearest wet and dry market to our accommodation.
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| Co Phu Nhuan Market |
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| A typical food stall has low tables and chairs |
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| Grilled pork and Chicken |
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| My wife enjoying her soup |
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| The Vietnamese noodle meal consists of beef, carrots, bean sprout, basil leaves and spices |
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| My rice meal of grilled pork |
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| Our Vietnamese breakfast |
VISIT SAIGON'S NOTRE DAME DAME CATHEDRAL
Notre Dame Cathedral is gothic in form and constructed primarily of red clay bricks. It was established by French colonists who initially named it Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saïgon, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).
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| The front facade of the cathedral |
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| Souvenir photo of my wife |
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| My souvenir photo in front |
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| The left & right side of the cathedral is undergoing repair |
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| The street name between the left side of the cathedral and the park |
DISCOVER SAIGON CENTRAL POST OFFICE
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| Rickshaws are very popular with tourists |
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| Rickshaws drivers offering rides to tourists outside the post office |
Check out these budget-friendly routes in Vietnam
Saigon Central Post Office is just right beside Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Constructed between 1886 - 1891, this building with Gothic & Reinassance influences was designed by Alfred Foulhox but is erroneously often credited to be the work of Gustave Eiffel. Every architectural component of Saigon's Post office is restored and preserved up to its very last detail.
MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE INSIDE THE POST OFFICE
TRAVELING AS IT IS! VISIT SAIGON CENTRAL POST OFFICE - video footage
STROLLING AROUND SAIGON PARK
This park is located between the Notre Dame Cathedral and Independence Palace. The canopy trees, which I believe are very old in age, provide ample shade from the sun's heat. You can sit and relax on metal benches situated around the park. There are a lot of delicious and affordable street foods to taste while taking your time.
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| The front facade |
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| The multi-patterned floor tiles |
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| The time around the world |
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| Portrait of Ho Chi Minh |
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| The map of Ho Chi Minh city drawn on this niche |
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| The capital of the steel column |
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| The skylight provides natural lighting |
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| Louvers provide natural ventilation |
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| Detail of steel corbel |
MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE INSIDE THE POST OFFICE
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| Vietnamese hats |
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| Ho Chi Minh figurine |
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| keychains, ref magnetic display |
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| stuff toys & figurines |
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| books |
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| The front facade of Saigon Central Post office |
STROLLING AROUND SAIGON PARK
This park is located between the Notre Dame Cathedral and Independence Palace. The canopy trees, which I believe are very old in age, provide ample shade from the sun's heat. You can sit and relax on metal benches situated around the park. There are a lot of delicious and affordable street foods to taste while taking your time.
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| A street food vendor selling green mangoes. |
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| My wife enjoying her mangoes |
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| Canopy trees provide protection from the heat of the sun |
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| My wife is really amazed at these flowers |
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| Enjoying another street food |
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| Relaxing at the park |
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| Enjoying Vietnamese ice cream |
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| Just taking our time and enjoying the company of each other |
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| A government building near the park |
TRAVELING AS IT IS! WALK AROUND THE PARK AND EATING VIETNAMESE STREET FOOD - video footage
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